Update from Syria: Syrian Army recaptures all territory - 07/01/2017

DAMASCUS,
SYRIA (6:18 AM) – Backed by the local National Defense Forces
(NDF), the Syrian Army managed to recapture the quarries area west of
Ba’ath City in Quneitra province captured earlier by the jihadist
Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham during their five-day offensive on the
government stronghold.

Though
supported by several Israeli airstrikes in Syria’s southern
province, the jihadist forces of the Jaish Muhammad operation room
have been pushed back from all territories they advanced into around
Ba’ath City. At least 5 militants were confirmed killed as a result
of the counterattack that had the government forces recapture the
quarries while the bodies of 6 Syrian soldiers killed in the clashes
4 days ago were retrieved.

Meanwhile,
the Israeli Air Force launched its fourth airstrike against the SAA
earlier today when it targeted a Syrian Army artillery position in
the 5th Regiment Base located in the nearby Nabe’ Al-Fowar area
destroying a field gun and inflicting no casualties.

It
is significant to note that rebel media outlets have admitted the
failure of the Quneitra offensive blaming the shortcoming on the lack
of effective coordination between the factions participating in the
operation.

Israel
has yet again fired on a contingent of the Syrian Arab Army in
Al-Quneitra, a region of the Golan Heights. This is the fifth such
illegal attack to take place in the Golan Heights in the last 8 days.

Israel
which has illegally occupied part of the Golan Heights since 1967 is
becoming increasingly brazen in its attacks on Syrian forces who have
been engaged in fierce battles with al-Qaeda terrorists on the Syrian
side of the line of occupation.

Each
of these attacks represent a violation of Syria’s legal sovereignty
and in practical terms they serve to aid al-Qaeda in its fledgling
struggle against the Syrian Arab Army in the south west of the
country.

A
diplomatic source said that Russia gathered incontestable evidence
proving the use of foreign weapons and ammunition by terrorist groups
in Syria.

SYRIAN
WAR REPORT – JUNE 30, 2017: GOVERNMENT ADVANCE AGAINST ISIS

South Front

Syrian
government forces, backed up by the Russian Aerospace Forces, have
fully secured the important village of Humaima following about a week
of clashes with ISIS terrorists in the border area with Iraq. The
Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and its allies continued advancing in the
direction of the T2 pumping station in southern Deir Ezzor.

Meanwhile,
some pro-government media spread rumors that US-led coalition troops
may leave their garrisons in At Tanf and al-Zquf. However, this seems
unlikely in the nearest future because the garrisons in the area
allow the coalition to control a chunk of the Syrian borders with
Jordan and Iraq.

The
SAA Tiger Forces, Liwa al-Quds and the National Defense Forces made
gains against ISIS east of the Ithriyah-Khanasir road. Government
troops have liberated the villages of Al-Shreima, Jadidah and Rasm
Askar as well as several strategic hills east of Khansir.

Separately,
the Tiger Forces have retaken Bir Abu Al’Allaj and entered the
Habbari field area where clashes are now ongoing. ISIS has conducted
an attack against the SAA east of Resafa but failed to break the SAA
defense.

In
eastern Damascus, the SAA advanced in the Ayn Tarma area and took few
buildings near Al-Sanabel gas station. The SAA also reached the Ayn
Tarma Roundabout and imposed a fire control over it.

Faylaq
al-Rahman claimed that it managed to destroy a bulldozer of the SAA
with an ATGM in Ayn Tarma. It also claimed to destroy a SAA tank in
Jobar district.

The
US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have captured the villages
of Kasrat Affan and Mustajd Naqib in the southern Raqqah countryside.

An
ISIS VBIED targeted a gathering of SDF troops in Al-Mashlabi
district. Another VBIED targeted the SDF in Al-Sabahia village west
of Raqqa. No confirmed reports about casualties in the SDF ranks are
available online.

Summing
up the recent events, ISIS is collapsing on multiple frontlines in
Syria under the pressure of the SAA and the SDF. At the same time,
the so-called moderate opposition backed up by the US and its
regional allies are focused on attempts to make some progress against
government forces in southern Syria.